June 22, 2006, 2:23PM
Los Hijos de Manuela
A band of brotherly, unrelated guys
By JOEY GUERRA
For the Chronicle
Los Hijos de Manuela aren't brothers. In fact, none of the Spanish-rock outfit's members are related.
And good luck getting any of the guys to reveal the meaning behind the group's name, which translates to the Sons of Manuela.
"It's open to interpretation. I'm not going to tell you what it is. We're just Los Hijos de Manuela. Don't take the magic away," says lead guitarist Yat Chong, who concocted the group's name almost two years ago.
"He hasn't even told us what it means," chime in fellow Hijos Esteban Salinas (vocals and acoustic guitar), Javier Pumarejo (bass) and Paul Hernandez (drums) .. all at the same time.
Whatever the story, the name somehow fits the quartet. They joke and tease like brothers, laughing at each other's statements, often talking over one another and sometimes finishing each other's sentences.
In its first incarnation, Los Hijos de Manuela did mostly covers of South American rock songs and was fronted by lead singer Fede, who eventually moved back to his native Uruguay.
Chong, who hails from Venezuela, was comfortable with the covers but says, "I really just wanted to play, and it sounded good."
"We just kind of attached ourselves to the music," adds Hernandez who, along with Pumarejo, understands a bit of Spanish. The pair met in high school.
Salinas, who had no singing experience, had been visiting the Hijos' practice sessions with a friend. Left without a singer, the group was intent on playing an important October 2006 gig at the annual MECA Day of the Dead Festival. They decided to take a chance on Salinas.
"We were like, 'Who do we know that sings?' " Hernandez says. "This guy (Salinas) would always come around with my uncle, and he would pick up a guitar and play Johnny Cash, a Folsom Prison thing.
"We were like, 'Help us out. Get us out this bind.' That's how he got in and got hooked."
Salinas says he wasn't crazy about the covers the band was doing, but he was excited about the possibility of being onstage.
"It was the last thing I thought I would do. I'm a shy person. I don't do that kind of stuff," he says.
"I really didn't want to do it. I'm scared of the stage. I kind of got forced to do it, and I'm glad I was. It's fun, once you're up there, and you kind of get used to do it."
Today, the band's sets feature mostly originals, and a three-song demo offers promise. Espacio Raw feeds off an earthy U2 vibe, and the adventurous Gastando is anchored by a sly bass line, sexy sax riffs and a droning drum beat.
Salinas is a charismatic vocalist, and while his delivery is still a bit rough, there's definitely something special. He .. and the rest of the group .. chalk up the Hijos' sound to diversity in musical tastes and influences.
"Yat has more of a punk feel. He likes the faster riffs. Esteban likes more Coldplay-type stuff," Pumarejo says. "I listen to a lot of stuff: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Parliament Funkadelic, Victor Wootem. There's different stuff going on in each song."
Even though the lyrics are in Spanish, Los Hijos de Manuela say their musical hybrid is indeed the universal language.
"We just try to put our music out there for everybody, no matter what language they speak or what they listen to," Salinas says. "If it's rockin', they don't care what language it's in."
Nadie es dueño de tu felicidad por eso no entregues tu alegría, tu paz, tu vida en las manos de nadie, absolutamente a nadie. Somos libres, no pertenecemos a nadie, y no podemos querer ser dueños de los deseos, de la voluntad o de los sueños de quien quiera que sea. La razón de tu vida eres tú mismo. Tu paz interior es tu meta en la vida.
..
Se acerca la Navidad...abramos nuestros corazones al espíritu navideño...compartamos la esperanza de un nuevo renacer...
86 Within, Live w/ deSANGRE, Dark Flame and band to be named later...... Pudding Wrestling / Art Show, Film showing and Tattoo Artists!!!!! What more do you want???........ c ya threre!!!!!
Online Now!
..
..
